Creative Ways to Grow Your Email List in 2025

Most email marketing advice is played out. We’ve all seen the same advice recycled over and over…offer a freebie, slap a form on your site, and hope for the best. But if that strategy actually worked, you’d already have a growing list of subscribers who love hearing from you, right? So why isn’t it working?

In this post, I’m sharing creative, effective strategies to grow your email list, and no…these are not the same tips you’ll find in every article out there.

What to Give Away

One of the fastest ways to grow your email list is by offering something valuable. A free resource shows people what it’s like to work with you and gives them a reason to sign up. But you can’t offer any type of freebie. It needs to be something they can actually use right away. You’ve got to think outside the box.

Instead of offering a generic guide or PDF, try these ideas:

• A personalized audit. Depending on your business, you could offer a quick review of their website or business plan.
• A mini video training. Walk them through solving a common problem.
• A template. Maybe an email they can copy and paste into their business.

The more specific and actionable your resource, the more likely people will want it.

The Subscriber Experience

Now, let’s talk about what happens after someone joins your list. So many businesses drop the ball here. Most people sign up for an email list and hear nothing for a while. You don’t want to be that business.

Instead, offer something unique for new subscribers. Try one of these:

• An invitation to a virtual workshop.
• A subscriber-only challenge with daily tips or prompts.
• Access to a private group or resource library.

This creates excitement and makes people feel like they’re joining something special.

Referral Incentives

Your best subscribers are the ones who already love what you do. So, why not encourage them to invite others? A referral incentive rewards your current subscribers for helping you grow your list.

For example, you could say:

• Invite 3 friends to join and get access to a bonus resource.
• Share this link, and when someone signs up, you’ll receive a discount or exclusive content.

Referrals are powerful because they bring in people who already trust you, through someone else.

The Personal Touch

A strategy that a lot of people overlook is adding a personal touch to your emails. This helps people feel connected to you and makes them want to stay on your list. Some ideas:

• Send a quick video message to welcome new subscribers.
• Include a question in your first email and personally reply to those who answer.
• Share behind-the-scenes updates that feel like a conversation, not a sales pitch.

When your emails feel personal and engaging, people are much more likely to share your list with others.

Collaborations

Collaborations can expand your reach in a big way. Partner with a business that serves the same type of clients but offers something different. You’ll reach new subscribers who already fit your ideal client profile.

Check out these collaboration ideas:

• Host a virtual workshop together.
• Swap guest email features with each other’s lists.
• Bundle your free resource with theirs for a double opt-in offer.

Not only does collaboration grow your list, but it also adds value to the people you’re already helping.

Your Next Steps to Growing an Engaged List

Building your email list doesn’t have to be complicated. With these strategies, you’ll start growing a list of subscribers who are ready to work with you.

And if you want to write emails that people actually open, read, and look forward to, I have a free resource for you.

It’s called the 5-Day Email Marketing Story-Selling Challenge, and in just five days, you’ll:

• Write three must-have emails for your business.
• Learn how to make your emails impossible to ignore.
• Sell without feeling salesy.

It’s self-paced, completely free, and only takes 10 minutes a day. Hit the button below to join the challenge.